Colchester will soon go to bid for a sanitary sewer clean and point repair as decided at the city council's committee of the whole on Monday.

Doug Erickson of Benton and Associates said the work will be funded through a small $25,000 grant received by the city.

“What the base bid is, is there’s East Roberts between Coal and East Street,” Erickson said, “we’re going to go out to bid and we’re going to have a firm to clean and (closed circuit television) that sanitary sewer line, and we think there might be a problem there.”

If there is need for a point repair, the point repair line item is taken care of through the grant, he said. Should there be no repairs needed there is an alternate on south street that will be inspected.

Engineering and approval to go out to bid will be up for approval at next week’s meeting on Monday, Aug. 4.

In other business, methods were discussed to raise funds including the solicitation of donations from businesses to help offset the cost of the annual Labor Day fireworks expense. Alderman Frances Welch showed a drafted letter that would be sent asking for funds.

“We’ll let them know we understand if they can’t do it,” Welch said. “That’s perfectly alright, but we need to get approval Monday night.”

Those that would wish to donate can do so by sending funds to city hall at P.O. Box 259, Colchester, Ill. 62326.

A request by Robert Cagle to hold a bags and softball tournament to raise funds for the fireworks was considered by the committee, but insurance concerns held up the approval until next week’s meeting.

Welch said she would talk to the city’s insurance company to see what is advised for holding the tournament. Mayor Danny Bice said that it would be best to work with the community and not against them and also noted that the city must make sure they’re covered should something happen.

Reach Nick Draper via email at ndraper@McDonoughVoice.com, or follow him on Twitter @nick_draper.